KARDS - The WW2 Card Game: How to Win Artillery Duels

To win artillery duels in KARDS - The WW2 Card Game, direct your artillery attacks straight at opposing support-line guns before striking frontline units or the enemy Headquarters. Because artillery deals combat damage without suffering retaliatory strikes, destroying enemy cannons first denies your opponent repeatable, free board damage every turn while preserving your own board presence.

Core Mechanics of Counter-Battery Fire

Artillery fundamentally alters board trades because it attacks without receiving combat damage in return. Unlike infantry and tanks that exchange mutual damage when clashing, an artillery unit firing from your support line inflicts full damage while remaining completely undamaged by the defender.

When both commanders deploy artillery, the match becomes an asymmetrical counter-battery duel:

• Zero Retaliation Risk: Attacking opposing artillery pieces removes their defense pool without exposing your attacking gun to damage.
• Low Defense Profiles: Most artillery pieces have relatively low defense compared to their deployment cost, making them vulnerable to direct counter-fire.
• Value Prevention: An active enemy cannon can eliminate your advancing units each round at minimal operational cost. Neutralizing it immediately stops that compounding advantage.

Target Priority in Artillery Exchanges

Counter-battery targeting must prioritize eliminating active opposing artillery pieces before addressing screening frontline units or chipping away at the enemy base. Base health serves as a buffer; firing at the enemy Headquarters early forfeits board control to active cannons that will systematically wipe out your units.

Evaluate targets based on immediate lethality. If an opposing cannon can be destroyed in a single shot, take the shot immediately to deny the opponent's upcoming attack. If an armored unit threatens to breach your support line next turn, decide whether your artillery must soften the tank for your frontline defenders or finish the enemy cannon to prevent a combined-arms wipe.

Managing Operation Costs and Kredit Economy

Firing an artillery piece consumes operation Kredits (typically 1 to 2 Kredits per activation) in addition to its initial deployment cost. Spending your entire turn pool solely on artillery fire starves your ability to deploy reinforcements or react with orders.

To maintain economic balance:

• Assess Lethality Before Firing: Only spend operation Kredits to fire if the attack secures a kill, strips a crucial Guard unit, or prevents lethal damage to your key assets.
• Float Kredits for Development: If an artillery shot will not eliminate a high-priority threat, hold your Kredits to deploy frontline units or preserve mana for reactive orders.
• Calculate Full Turn Outlay: Factor in the operation cost of existing artillery alongside the deployment costs of new units before confirming your first action.

Defensive Positioning and Support Line Protection

Because artillery units possess low defense and cannot defend themselves against melee assaults, your support line depends on frontline control and Guard screens.

• Screen with Guard Units: Place Guard units in the frontline or support line. Ground units must clear Guard targets before they can target your backline cannons.
• Contest Air Superiority: Ground blockers do not stop enemy bombers or aerial strikes. Deploy friendly fighters to intercept incoming aircraft targeting your artillery.
• Control the Frontline: Maintaining a physical barrier of tanks or infantry prevents enemy units from advancing directly into your support line, keeping your cannons firing safely across multiple turns.

Breaking Artillery Stalemates with Tactical Orders

When opposing artillery has too much defense to eliminate in a single attack, relying entirely on cannon fire creates an inefficient war of attrition. Combine direct-damage orders and stat buffs with your artillery attacks to resolve standoffs quickly.

1. Calculate Combined Lethality: Add the damage of an available direct-damage order to your artillery’s attack power to see if the combined total destroys the target.
2. Play the Direct-Damage Order First: Cast the removal order to bypass Guard units and soften the enemy cannon's defense pool.
3. Fire Counter-Battery: Activate your artillery to finish off the weakened opposing gun, removing their free damage engine permanently.
4. Deploy Frontline Reinforcements: Spend any remaining Kredits to play fresh infantry or tanks, securing the frontline against enemy counterattacks.